In the epoch of decentralized innovation, tech startups like Zen leverage inexpensive, accessible cloud computing, digital communications platforms, and open source software to collaborate from cafes and home offices around the world. The fundamental processes for building businesses, such as hiring, raising money, running marketing campaigns, acquiring users, etc. can now be done from anywhere, online. Since building a company no longer necessitates congregation around traditional startup hubs such as Silicon Valley and London, smaller cities now have the opportunity to step up. Lisbon is contending to become one of these insurgent centers.

The brilliant Jose Faisca of Lisbon’s Blockchain Portugal Meetup group hosted Zen’s Portugal-based community manager, Gustavo Fialho, and me (co-founder Jane Lippencott) on Tuesday July 18th for a discussion of Anonymity in Cryptocurrencies. The profiles of our audience members ranged from private bankers hoping to bring innovation to their firms, web developers starting to dig in on blockchain code, traders hoping to catch the next value investment, and blockchain consultants looking for clients and content subscribers. We had a two hour open discussion about:

The history of cryptocurrencies

Use cases for cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin’s lack of anonymity and how its users are vulnerable

Why privacy matters

Anonymity-focused cryptocurrencies

How the Zen team is building a resilient, evolving project

I’ll be setting up similar events in Hong Kong and Bangkok over the next few months, the goal being to start collaborating with emerging communities while Zen is still young.